Cutting apparatus

Abstract

A cutting unit of a cutting apparatus includes a fixed flange that is disposed at an end portion of a spindle to support a cutting blade and has a plurality of first gas jetting passages on a periphery thereof for jetting gas radially along a cutting edge of the cutting blade, a detachable flange that sandwiches the cutting blade in cooperation with the fixed flange and has a plurality of second gas jetting passages on a periphery thereof for jetting gas radially along the cutting edge of the cutting blade, a cover covering the cutting blade, the fixed flange, and the detachable flange, and a vacuum unit provided to the cover and configured to suck dust scattered inside the cover.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cutting apparatus comprising:
 a chuck table configured to hold a workpiece;   a cutting unit having a cutting blade to cut the workpiece held on the chuck table; and   a processing-feed mechanism configured to processing-feed the chuck table and the cutting unit relative to each other;   the cutting unit including
 a spindle, 
 the cutting blade supported to an end portion of the spindle, 
 a flange unit including a fixed flange that is fixed to an end portion of the spindle to support the cutting blade and has a plurality of first gas jetting passages on a periphery thereof for jetting gas radially along a cutting edge of the cutting blade, and a detachable flange that sandwiches the cutting blade in cooperation with the fixed flange and has a plurality of second gas jetting passages on a periphery thereof for jetting gas radially along the cutting edge of the cutting blade, 
 a cover covering the cutting blade and the flange unit, and 
 a vacuum unit provided to the cover and configured to suck dust scattered inside the cover. 
   
     
     
         2 . The cutting apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the cover has a gas jetting nozzle for jetting gas to a region in which the cutting blade cuts the workpiece.   
     
     
         3 . The cutting apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the gas is one of air, N 2 , CO 2 , and dry mist or a combination thereof.